YouTubing-To-Obscure-Shameless-Self-Promotion Wednesdays: Ya ever see a foot with four toes?

Like many, the American version of The Office lost me immediately, with a painfully unfunny mimic of the first episode that was about on par with a third party watching me and my friend's endlessly quote it in poorly-done impersonations. But over the intervening years, word got out that it actually got its shit together, both honoring the show and becoming its own thing. Turns out that's completely true. I've been Hoovering up the show's first three seasons of late, trying to catch before the fourth seasons premieres tomorrow night. And while David Brent & co. have nothing to worry about, that's because, again, the new show is its own, almost as awesome entity. Hey, I'm as shocked as you.

It seems that each episode I decide on a new favorite character, and right now that character is Creed Bratton, the mysterious quality control guy who doesn't open his mouth up much but when he does manages to reveal new, increasingly disturbing factoids. He's played by Creed Bratton, who used to be the guitarist for the Grass Roots (of the terrific "Midnight Confessions"). The ficitious Creed Bratton also used to play for the Grass Roots and it's a sign of the sly excellence of the show that they let the viewers figure out that this obscure footnote in music history is making fun of himself. (The real Bratton's Wikipedia page is here, while his character's is here.) Here's a comp of, reportedly, all of his appearances from seasons two and three (he barely made a blip in the brief first). Apologies for the scratchy audio:



The Weekly. I interviewed Robert Benton in honor of the so-so multi-character Feast of Love, though our conversation turned more to his past works, like Bonnie and Clyde and The Late Show. Burnsy decimates Feast here, where I also do up the Michael-Douglas-goes-nuts indie King of California and the human traficking saga Trade. Also, Rep. Also also, some ill-reasoned complaints and fuzzy math with a piece of hate-mail directed towards last week's In the Valley of Elah review.